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QuickTime Streaming Format

You can use the QuickTime Streaming format to produce streaming media files that can be broadcast over a network or the Internet.

To prepare a QuickTime movie for streaming, you need to set a few options and hint the movie. This means creating a hint track for each media track (video and audio).

The hint tracks provide QuickTime Streaming Server software with information about the server, the transmission packet size, and the protocol to be used. This describes how to send the movie data over a network, for example, over the Internet. Since hint tracks are stored in the movie, the movie file becomes larger.

Note: You can use the QuickTime Streaming output format on the Windows and Macintosh platforms.

To create a QuickTime Streaming file:
  1. On the Output Settings panel, select QuickTime Streaming from the Format list.
  2. Click Options.

    3. The QuickTime Video Options dialog appears.

  3. Click Video Settings, set the video options and click OK. For information on the Compression Settings dialog, see Compression Settings: QuickTime.

    4. The Streaming Options button becomes available.

  4. Click Streaming Options.

    5. The Hint Exporter Settings dialog appears. For information on these settings, see Setting Up Hint Tracks.

  5. Click Close.
  6. To include audio in the QuickTime Streaming file, enable Audio Output.
  7. Disable Separate so the audio is embedded into the video file.
  8. Click Options in the Audio Output options.

    9. The QuickTime Audio Options dialog appears.

  9. Click Audio Settings, set the audio options and click OK.

    10. The Streaming Options button becomes available.

  10. Click Streaming Options.

    11. The Hint Exporter Settings dialog appears, this time with the settings for audio. For information on these settings, see Setting Up Hint Tracks.

  11. Click Close, then click Process in the Render Queue dialog.

Setting Up Hint Tracks

You set up the QuickTime Streaming format in the Hint Exporter Settings dialog.

To set streaming options:
  1. You can enable Optimize Hints For Server so that the hint tracks will have the media data embedded in them. That way, the server can read the hint and media track packets all at once. This increases the number of viewers the server can support—at the cost of a file that is almost twice as large.

    2. Otherwise, if you disable Optimize Hints For Server, you can choose to make the movie self-contained or not. Self-contained movies have no references to media tracks in other movies, so they are easier to handle.

  2. If you are setting up a video track, enable Animation Video. If you are setting up an audio track, enable Raw Sound.

    3. Note: The adjacent hint details list all the current settings. They update if you change the values in the RTP Track Settings dialog.

  3. Click the Track Hinter Settings button to change the default compressors and data rates for the streamable track.

    4. Warning: Generally, do not do this without specialized knowledge of each compressor's capabilities and the parameters of your network. For example, if you know the maximum packet size your network allows, you can set that as the streaming packet size. You can also increase the number and frequency of data repetitions for an audio track to improve the playback; however, this will drive up the data rate.

    For more information on Real Time Protocol (RTP) track settings, see the Apple QuickTime Streaming documentation.

  4. Click OK.

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